Can-opener.



No. 664,033. Patented Dec'. I8, l900..

0. A. & 0. ANDERSON.

CAN OPENER.

(Application filed Aug. 25,1900.)

(No Model.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEQ CHARLES ARON ANDERSON AND OSCAR ANDERSON,OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

CAN-OPENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,033, dated December18, 190i) Application filed August 25, 1900.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES ARON AN- DERSON and OSCAR ANDERSON,citizens of the United States, residing in the city of Portland, countyof Multnomah, State of Oregon, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Can-Openers, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the device inoperative position; Fig. 2, a plan View of the knife-carrying bar; andFig. 3, a side elevation showing the device in operative position, thecan and a portion of the knifecarrying bar being in sectional view.

The invention has for its objects to provide a device of this classwhich shall be simple in its construction, and therefore may be cheaplymanufactured, effective in operation, and which may be readily adjustedfor use on cans of different sizes.

Referring to the various parts by numerals, 1 designates the lever-bar,which is formed at one end into an entering-point 2, which is L-shaped,as shown, and is adapted to form a fulcrum for the lever-bar. The otherend of this lever-bar is formed into a flat handle part 4, and a portionof the bar adjacent the entering-point is formed rectangular incrosssection, as shown at 5. Sliding on this rectangular part of thelever-bar is the cuttercarrying bar 6. This bar is formed at one of itsends with an integral forward-extending cutter or knife 7, and on eachside of this cutter is formed a depending guide-lug or stop 8, whichfits close against the side of the can when the device is in operation,the two lugs maintaining the cutter a certain distance from the edge ofthe can-cover at all times during the operation of cutting out thecancover, as shown clearly in the drawings. This cutter-carrying barjust above the cutter is provided with an opening 9, which isrectangular and through which the rectangular portion of the lever-barextends. A short distance above the opening 9 this bar is bent slightlyto bring the handle thereof near enough to the handle of the lever-barso that both of said bars may be conveniently grasped in one hand. Abovethe opening 9, on the right-hand edge of the cutter-carrying bar, is

Serial No. 28,052. (No model.)

a depending lug 10, which forms a stop, said stop engaging theright-hand edge of the lever bar during the operation of opening a canand preventing any rocking or lateral motion of the cutter-carrying bar.

When using the device, the entering point of the lever-bar is forceddown through the can-top, at the center thereof, and then said bar isswung down until the cutter is near the top of the can. Thecutter-carrying bar is now slid along the lever-bar until the stops orguide-lugs are close to the side of the can, so that when the cutter isforced through the can-cover said stops will contact with the side ofthe can, as shown in Fig. 3. After the cutter has been forced throughthe can-top the handle ends of the two bars are grasped in one hand andsufficient pressure brought thereon to cause the two transverse edges ofthe opening9 in the cutter-carrying bar to bind on the lever-bar, one ofsaid edges binding on the upper surface and one on the under surface ofsaid bar, as shown in Fig. 3,.and thereby hold the two bars practicallyimmovable with respect to each other. The device is now swung around onthe pivot or fulcrum and the cover cut out. The lug 10 bears on theright-hand edge of the lever-bar and prevents any lateral movement ofthe cuttercarrying bar on the lever-bar during the cutting operation. Itwill be noted that the cutter is inclined downward and in the directionof the cntthat is, toward the left as shown in the drawings. This is sothat the cutter will make adraw out, the cutter as it is forced aroundtending to lift the can-top and slide it up the cutter, andtherebyinsuring a steady cutting action, which will not cause the metalof the can-top to buckle.

It willthus be seen that the device is readily adjustable to cans ofvarious sizes and can be readily and cheaply made, as there are noseparate clamping devices to be specially made and secured to either ofthe bars, the bars themselves forming the clamping members. It will alsobe noted that by reason of having the guide-legs 8 and the stop 10 thelever-bar maybe made perfectly smooth on its upper and under sides topermit the cutter-carrying bar to be readily slid back and forth thereonin adjusting the cutter to the can, these stops preventing any inward orany lateral movement of the cutter-bar during the operation of openingacan and rendering it unnecessary that these bars be clamped together astightly as would be required if the clamping means were depended onentirely to maintain the two bars immovable with respect to each otherduring the cutting operation. The binding action of the two edges of theopening caused by grasping the two handles during the cutting operationwill be sufficient to hold the cutter-bar against outward movement onthe lever-bar.

What we claim is 1. In a can-opener, the combination of a lever-barformed with a handle part and an entering-point adapted to form afulcrum, a cutter-carrying bar provided with an opening through whichthe lever-bar works and with an outward-extendinghandle partlyingaboveand adjacent the handle part of the lever-bar, so that both said handleparts may be grasped with one hand, a downward-extending cutter on theinner end of the cutter-carrying bar, a guide-lug or stop formed on thecutter-carrying bar adjacent the cutter and adapted to engage the, sideof the can and prevent the cutter-bar moving toward the fulcrum-point ofthe lever-bar while in operation.

2. In a can-opener, the combination of a lever-bar provided with anentering-point adapted to form a fulcrum for the lever, acutter-carrying bar adapted to slide on said leverbar and provided witha downward-extendin g cutter and a depending stop adapted to engage theside of the can, and a downward-extending lug formed on the side of saidcutterbarand adapted to engage the right-hand side of the lever-bar,substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a can-opener, the combination of a lever-bar provided at one endwith an entering fulcrum-point and at its other end with a handle, acutter-carrying bar bent downward at one end and provided with a pair ofstoplugs and a euttertherebetween and atits other end with a handlelying above. and adjacent to the handle of the lever-bar, thiscutter-carrying bar being provided with an opening in the downward-bentportion, just above the cutter, through which said lever-bar works, andalso with a depending stop-lug above the opening adapted to engage thelever-bar, for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof we hereunto aflix our signatures, in the presenceof two witnesses, this 18th day of August, 1900.

CHARLES ARON ANDERSON. OSCAR ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

E. F. BAIRD, J. F. KERTCHEM.

